


A Different Kind of Adventure

by StarstruckScorpio



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff & Angst, Just a little bit of Angst, Kid Peter, M/M, Superfamily, Superhusbands, adoption fic, super cute guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 01:50:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15378060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarstruckScorpio/pseuds/StarstruckScorpio
Summary: "Peter Parker. Born: 2003. Age 4" Tony read off the holographic screen that was projecting onto his office wall."Parents?" Steve asked, leaning against the desk with crossed arms.Tony turned to his husband with a grim expression."Both dead. Killed in a plane crash" Steve raised his eyebrows, feeling his heart ache for the young child.Or, Peter Parker is a foster kid who is rescued by superhusbands Iron Man and Captain America. Their unwillingness to let Peter go back into the system while healing leads them to a new and unexpected adventure.





	A Different Kind of Adventure

"It's gonna fall, Tony!" Steve yelled up at his husband from the ground, moving pieces of rubble from the building and grabbing any civilians he could find.

There had been an explosion at Yoki Labs and the building was at a near collapse. 

The couple had been enjoying a relaxing evening and a delicious dinner in their home at the Stark Tower when they received the call. It had honestly been disappointing with the night being their three year anniversary. But duty calls, they guess.

"I'll contain the debris and look for civilians on the upper levels. You just get everyone out of there" Tony told him through the coms.  
"And babe?"

"Yea?" Steve asked.  
"Sorry about tonight. I know you've been planning this for a while?" Steve couldn't help but smile at his husband's concern.

"Don't worry about it. This is just as fun" Steve tossed his shield at a beam that was blocking a woman and her dog, allowing her to escape. Tony just smiled and shook his head.

The fire rescue team arrived as well as ambulances and police. The fire was eventually put out and while the building was destroyed, their didn't seem to be any casualties.

Once everyone had cleared, Tony landed next to Steve tapped his mask way, smiling that flashy smile.  
"Good job, captain"

Steve laughed, cupping his face with both hands and giving him a sweet kiss.  
"Happy anniversary" he whispered, pressing his forehead against the other man's.  
"Right back at ya" Tony grinned.

They stayed like that for a moment, covered in sweat and breathing heavily with dirt and dust covering their suits. But they couldn't be happier.

They turned to head to their limousine when they suddenly heard a sharp cry.

They whipped their heads around to the building, scanning for the source.

They walked over to the pile of debris.  
"Hello? This is Captain America. Iron Man and I are here to assist you, but we need to find you first. Please give us a signal or your location" Steve called out while Tony flew over the pile, scanning the debris.

Suddenly, small noise came from the pile below. Tony landed at the source.

"Stay calm! You're going to be alright" he told the person trapped underneath. He pressed the coms.  
"Steve, I need your help" he called.

In only a seconds, Steve came jumping onto the pile and landed only a few feet from his husband.

"I think it's a woman or a child. There's a large pileup but be careful, one wrong move and this debris could crush them" The soldier nodded at Tony's words and began carefully moving pieces.

After of few minutes of lifting and moving, a tiny arm shot through from under a large beam. The couple looked at each other and nodded, lifting the large beam off of the civilian.

They tossed the beam a few feet away and waved the dust out of their faces to reveal a tiny boy who was no older than four with brown curly hair and big brown eyes, terror etched on his features.

Steve furrowed his brows and reached down to lift the boy, who flinched violently.

Tony took off his helmet and kneeled down.  
"It's okay kid, you're safe now"

The boy looked back at Steve who gave a small smile and nodded. The child eventually nodded and allowed the captain to pick him up.

As he was lifted, the boy let out a sharp cry of pain. They looked down at his ankle to see that it was badly bruised and swollen.

"Hey" Steve said, grabbing the boy's attention away from his injury.  
"I'm going to give you to Iron Man now. He's going to take you to get all patched up" He gave the boy a comforting smile, and the boy looked between them, contemplating.

"Promise?" Came the tiny question.  
His big, way-too-adorable eyes bore straight into Tony's who swallowed and smiled.

"Promise" he replied, holding out his arms.  
The boy looked back at Steve and nodded, allowing himself to be handed off and flown to Stark Towers.

Steve sighed as he watched them go. This was going to be a long night.

**

"Peter Parker. Born: 2003. Age 4" Tony read off the holographic screen that was projecting onto his office wall.

"Parents?" Steve asked, leaning against the desk with crossed arms.

Tony turned to his husband with a grim expression.  
"Both dead. Killed in a plane crash" Steve raised his eyebrows, feeling his heart ache for the young child.

"Any other family?" He asked.  
Tony turned back to the hologram and sighed.  
"Also dead. His uncle, Benjamin Parker was killed in a robbery and his Aunt, May Parker died of cancer about three months ago" Tony sighed. 

So, where does he live?" Steve asked.  
"In a group home in Queens. Doesn't seem like the friendliest joint. Known for runaways" Tony replied, turning back to his husband.

"You think that's what this kid was doing? Running away?" Steve asked. Tony shrugged.  
"No way of telling unless we talk to the kid"

Peter was stable, resting in the Stark Medical Center a few floors down. The couple went down to see the boy and figure out why he was in that building.

The walked into the white room to see the boy patched up and lying unconscious on the medical bed.

Steve looked at Peter as Tony discussed the surgery with the doctors. There were bruises littering his body as well as a cut on his foreheads and casts on his ankle and wrist.

"He had a broken rib as well as some internal bleeding. He has a broken ankle and a sprained wrist, but mentally he seems to be in perfect health" The doctor explained. The superheroes nodded and looked back at the boy who was slowly beginning to wake.

"Hey there" Tony smiled, taking a seat next to Steve.  
"Remember us? We're Iron Man and Captain America" Steve explained as he read the slight fear on the boy's face. He seemed to relax slightly as he received that information.

"Where am I? Am I in a hospital? I don't like the hospital! Bad things happen there!" Tears pricked at Peter's eyes as he began panicking.

Both men felt their hearts break.  
"Hey woah! Look, that's doctor Wright" Steve pointed at the doctor who waved and smiled.  
"And he's here to make you all better. Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise"  Steve gave that charming smile of his which seemed to work in calming the boy down.

Tony looked at him in amazement. He didn't expect his super-soldier husband to be so great with children.

Tony looked into Peter's eyes.  
"Kid? I'm Tony and this is Steve. We need you to tell us everything you remember about the accident today" The billionaire tried to give the same gentle touch, but he had a feeling it didn't have the intended effect as Peter looked at Tony with wide eyes and Steve lay a hand on Tony's shoulder.

Steve and Tony looked at each other. Steve gave Tony that stern look that said "I'll handle this". Tony rolled his eyes but nodded.

"How about you just tell us what happened, starting from this morning" Steve smiled, and the boy visibly relaxed.

"O-Okay but I'm not sure I can remember everything" Peter looked back and forth at the heroes.

"That's okay. Just tell us what you know" Steve said gently.

"Okay, well, I read in the newspaper last week that the Yoki Labs was having a free con- conve-"  
The young boy cut himself off, unable to find the word.

"Convention?" Tony asked, filling the blank.   
"Yea, that!" Peter exclaimed.

"So I asked Mrs. Adams if I could go but-"  
"And is she your foster parent?" Tony asked. Steve glared at him.

"I-I guess" Peter answered quietly, eyes cast down. Steve put his hand on the boy's knee.  
"Finish your story, bud" Peter nodded and continued.

"Mrs. Adams wouldn't let me go, but I really wanted to. So, I snuck out this morning and got on a bus" Peter looked down ashamed.

"You got on a bus all by yourself?" Steve asked, astonished. Peter nodded.  
"I didn't need to be bad, I promise! I just wanted to see Mr. Yoki" The boy sniffled as tears pricked at his eyes once more.

Tony raised his eyebrows.  
"So you like science?" He asked. Peter perked up and nodded.  
"When I grow up, I wanna be a scientist and invent stuff like you and Mr. Yoki. But- But then there was a loud boom and everything fell and then I couldn't get out and- and" the boy was nearly sobbing by now and his heart rate was climbing alarmingly fast.

Purely on instinct, Steve quickly embraced the boy and lifted him into his lap, rocking him gently.  
"Hey hey, it's alright. You're okay and you're not in trouble it's alright" Steve continued to whisper and rock the boy gently.

Tony watched on in amazement. He never knew Steve had such fatherly instincts. It certainly made Tony insecure about his parenting abilities.

Tony hadn't exactly grown up with the best parental figures. They had discussed having children, but Tony remained apprehensive to the concept. His father was no father, so why should he be?

Steve continued to rock the child until he fell asleep once again. He gently laid him down on the bed and stood, offering a hand to Tony who took it with a half-hearted smile.

They made their way to their bedroom in silence. As Steve stripped of his shirt and Tony removed his tie, the soldier spoke up.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked his husband, who turned around with furrowed brows.

"What do you mean? Tomorrow he'll be cleared and ready to go back to the home" Tony replied a bit too casually, turning back to his dresser.

Steve walked over to Tony and put his hand on his shoulder.  
"Look, it may have been seventy years ago, but I grew up in New York too. And Queens is no place for a tiny foster kid to be with so those injuries" Damn him, Tony thought. Why did he always have to be so right?.

He sighed.  
"Fine, He can stay for a couple of weeks but then he is going back. I'll send an email to his caretaker in the morning" Tony grumbled, glaring at Steve's smug smile. 

"I knew you'd do the right thing" Steve kissed Tony's head and continued preparing for bed. Tony looked at himself in the mirror. 

What had he gotten himself into?

**

Two weeks turned to four which turned to six. Every time it was time to sent Peter home, Tony spewed out something about tests and that he needed to stay longer. Any time Steve brought up the fact that Tony had clearly taken a liking to the kid, Tony denied everything, stating that it was purely medical. Steve always dropped it with a knowing smile.

But now Peter was fully healed, and there was no reason that he shouldn't return to the group home. And they had no idea how to tell him.

Tony woke to the smell of bacon and smiled. Steve had always loved cooking, but since Peter began staying with him, Steve had cooked almost every meal.

With a sad sigh, Tony sat up and made his way to the kitchen. He walked in to see his husband in a white tank top and pajama pants reading the newspaper. Next to him was Peter excitedly talking about the project him and Tony had been working on: a robot dog. It was small enough for Peter to hold and nearly completed. The boy had named it Benny, after his late uncle.

What Peter and Steve didn't know is that the robot doubled as a bodyguard. Peter could take it to the home with him and at any sign of distress, the robot would defend him and Tony would be alerted. 

"It can bark and do tricks and it even eats treats!" Peter exclaimed as Tony opened the fridge and pulled out the orange juice.

"That sounds really cool, bud" Steve smiled and Peter smiled back, turning back to the science section of the newspaper.

Steve walked over to Tony who was watching Peter with sad eyes. Steve kissed his husband's cheek and watched on as well.

"He's going to be okay, babe. Especially with that dog by his side" Tony snapped his head at him at that, confusion fluttering across his face.

Steve rolled his eyes fondly and gave him that pointed 'you can't keep anything from me' look.  
"Plus, I've taught him a few things too" he said.

A week ago, Peter couldn't sleep and came down to the gym where Steve was up boxing. Peter asked if he could try, and for the last week, against Tony's judgement, Steve had been giving him lessons.

"I know" Tony whispered, looking back at the boy they both had grown so fond of.

"Hey Pete, we need to talk to you" Steve said, and him and Steve looked at each other, walking over to the island and taking a seat across from the boy.

Steve spoke up first.  
"So you're injuries are healed up, bud. You're casts are off and-" Steve cut himself off, not sure how to continue.

Tony continued.  
"It's time for you to go home, Pete" Tony gave Peter a tight smile, who stared at them with wide eyes.

It was silent for a few more seconds before Steve spoke up.  
"Buddy? Are you okay?" He asked, staring at he boy with worried eyes. Peter shook his head.

"I'm- I'm okay" he said in a small voice.  
"I just- I thought" Peter began to tear up and both men felt their hearts break.

"Hey hey hey. Look at me Peter" Tony said softly, and Peter's wet eyes met his.  
"You're going to be okay. You understand me? Everything is going to be alright" Tony told him. Peter sniffled and looked down.

"I saw the charts. I was okay to go home two weeks ago" he looked up at the heroes who tried not to let the surprise show on their faces.

Peter continued.  
"But I'm still here. So I thought that maybe you were going to adopt me" he mumbled, picking at his pancake as tears streamed down his little face.

Steve and Tony looked at each other in shock. They looked at Peter, not sure how to respond. 

"Pete, you are a brilliant, amazing kid. You are going to find an amazing family and an amazing home. You just have to go back to the home for a little while" Tony explained as gently as possible. Peter nodded and said nothing.

Eventually, Steve spoke.  
"Hey" he said, getting Peter's attention.  
"I would love to meet this Benny you keep talking about" he smiled, and Peter gave a small smile, standing up and leading Steve to the lab, leaving Tony alone at the table.

For what felt like the first time ever, the genius-billionaire didn't have a clue on what to do. 

**

Dropping off Peter had the home had to be the hardest thing either man ever had to do. And one of them had been frozen in ice for seventy years while the other had literally had his heart ripped out of his chest.

The ride back to the tower was silent. Neither man knew what to say.

They returned to their home, and it had never felt so empty. As they ate their dinner, a solemn silence filled the air.

"He's going to be okay, you know" Steve said, breaking the silence. Tony shook his head and looked Steve in the eyes.  
"No I don't know, and neither do you. No one does" Tony stood from the table and stalked off from the table. Steve sighed and followed suit.

He found his husband in the lab, sitting at the lab table where Peter and him had built Benny. Steve walked in and took the seat next to him.

The soldier slowly wrapped his arm around his husband's who leaned his head against the other man's shoulder.

They sat in silence for what felt like hours. The only sounds to be heard were their quiet breathing and the soft rumbling of one of the machines in the lab.

What finally broke their silence was the beeping of Tony's watch. He snapped his head down and felt his heart drop as he saw the shape of a dog head pop up on the little screen.

He looked up at his husband, eyes wide. He didn't need to say anything as Steve's eyes widened.  
"Let's go" They both stood and went to suit up without another word.

**

"Open up!" Steve banged on the door of the home. Tony sighed and took a look around. He knew it was in a poor part of town, but he never imagined this.

The porch was broken down with wood pieces everywhere and bricks falling off the steps. There were wrappers and beer cans all over the yard and there was an awful smell that neither of them could quite place.

Tony turned back to the door.  
"Alright, that's it" He mumbled, lifting up his fist and shooting the door down.

They stepped into the cloud of dust. Steve coughed, and Tony rolled his eyes, thinking back to the argument they had a couple weeks back when Tony tried to built him a full mask but Steve refused.

They stepped into the the living room and noticed an older woman sleeping on the couch, beer can in hand. Mrs. Adams, they presumed. Damn, Tony thought. That woman sure could sleep.

They continued down the hall until they heard indistinct yelling from one of the rooms. They looked at each other busted open the door.

The first thing they noticed were a crowd of four boys, none of them any older than twelve, as well as a little boy and three girls watching from the bunk beds. The four boys were standing around something, blocking their view. 

Tony noticed that one of them was holding a bat and another had a bruised fist.

"What is going on here?" The Captain bellowed, causing all of the boys to jump. None of the children said anything, clearly shocked at Iron Man and Captain America walking into their bedroom.

"I believe he asked you a question kid" Tony turned to a chubby boy who looked to be the oldest, sounding a lot more calm than he actually was.

Without another word, the four boys scrambled away from the thing they were blocking.

Both men felt their hearts leap out of their chests as they saw tiny, four year old Peter curled up in a ball and crying, reminding them of when they met the poor child.

Steve hurried to pick him up. The boy cried out and looked up at who was carrying him. Upon seeing it was Steve, he threw his arms around his neck, shaking with sobs. Steve shushed him, bouncing him and whispering to him.

Tony felt tears prick at his eyes as he watched the pair. He stepped forward, but his boot hit something on the ground. He looked down to see a crushed Benny, lying in pieces on the floor. Tony picked the broken robot up and nodded to his husband.

They turned to leave, but Tony stopped at the door, turning back to the shell-shocked boys.

"You do anything like this again, we'll know. And we'll come back. And next time." Tony lifted his fist at the boys.  
"We won't be so gentle"

At that, they made their way back to Stark towers. Steve got in a limo with Peter while Tony flew over them.

"Babe?" Steve called, trying to be quiet as Peter had fallen asleep.   
"Yea?" Tony replied.

"Those boys did a shitty thing, but their just children. I don't think we should jus-"

"I've already contacted Child Protective Services, and they're on their way right now" Tony cut him off. Steve nodded, forgetting for a moment that Tony couldn't see him.  
"Okay. Good."

**

Tony stood in front of the window of the operating room, watching as Peter slept peacefully in that same hospital bed they put him on six weeks ago. It felt like such a long time since then.

Steve walked up next to Tony without a word, staring straight ahead. Tony looked at his husband.

Tony knew Steve better than just about anyone. He knew how to read his emotions, even though the soldier always tried his best to not let them show. Steve always tried to hide it when he was angry, but the billionaire could always see right through him. But right now, there was nothing to read. Pure, unadulterated rage covered every one of his features.

"He's not going back there" Steve said in that voice that meant 'this is not up for discussion'.

Tony didn't take his eyes off Peter as he replied.  
"Of course not" he said.  
"I'll upgrade Benny and we'll find he best ho-"

"No, Tony" Steve cut him off, turning and himself and his husband to look him straight in the eyes.  
"I don't want him to go anywhere but here" Tony's eyes widened.

"You mean-"  
"Yes. I think we should adopt Peter" Steve said, looking deep into his eyes. Tony scanned for any sign that he was joking, but found none.

Tony shook his head, laughing humorlessly.  
"Right. Okay" he said sarcastically, turning back to Peter.  
"I'm serious" Steve said, touching his shoulder.

There was a beat of silence.  
"This life- with villains and dangerous missions, destruction. It's not place to raise a child." Tony shook his head, more talking to himself than his husband.

"Look me in the eye and tell me that we wouldn't give that kid the best life. That he wouldn't have all the love and protection that he could ever hope for" Steve took Tony's silence as an indication to continue. 

"Yes, it's dangerous, but look at him, Tony. He's four years old and the real world has already beaten him to a pulp. He belongs with someone who can protect him always. He belongs with us" Tony didn't reply but continued to stare at Peter through the glass. 

Knowing when to leave things be, Steve turned to walk away. He only made it a few steps before he heard his husband say something so quietly that if it weren't for his enhanced senses, he probably wouldn't have heard it.

"I'm never going to be enough for him" Tony whispered, causing Steve to turn back to him with confusion written all over his face.

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked, walking back to his husband. Tony fin  
"You would be an amazing father" Steve whispered, and Tony could tell he genuinely believed it.

Tony shook his head, looking away. It was silent for a moment before Steve spoke again.  
"Is this about your father?" He asked, causing Tony's head to snap to him.

Tony's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak (probably to protest) but instead let out a heavy sigh.  
"My father was no father, so why should I be?"  
His voice was stone cold, filled with built up rage and sadness from all those years being neglected by his father.

Steve's heart ached. He knew Howard as a good man, but spending these years with Tony has made him realize a side to him that he never thought possible. Howard left a piece of Tony broken. Steve would give his husband the world if it made him happy, but this wasn't something the soldier could fix.

Steve crossed his arms across his chest and turned to look at the little boy in the hospital bed.

"You know" Steve broke the heavy silence.   
"Howard did give you something pretty great" Tony's head snapped up, his features expressing his confusion.

"Me" Steve smirked, fully turning to his husband. Tony lifted an eyebrow.

“It’s true! Without your father, I wouldn’t of been able to become Captain America and live to fall in love with you” Steve smiled, grabbing Tony’s hand. The billionaire fought a smile but failed.

“There it is” Steve laughed, and Tony couldn’t help but laugh with him. He was the only person who could make him laugh even when his thoughts were trapped in the darkest parts of his mind. Tony loved this man with everything that he had. He was the only thing that made life worth living.

Well, maybe not the only thing.

They turned back to the young boy in the hospital bed. There was silence, and for the first time that day it was content. Tony spoke up, not looking away from the glass.

“We’ll need to research the best schools in the area as well as the best science programs and least reported cases of bullying” Steve’s head whipped at Tony’s words. They made eye contact, and there was a pause.

“Our son is getting the best damn education we can give him” 

Steve’s eyes widened.  
“Tony, a-are you sure?” He asked, placing a hand on his arm. Tony nodded. 

“I can do this- as long as you’re there with me” Tony looked deep into his husband’s eyes.

Steve’s eyes began to cloud with tears as wrapped Tony in a tight embrace.

“Alright capsicle, I need my ribs” Tony wheezed out as the air was hugged out of him.

Steve laughed, releasing him. He grabbed Tony’s hands, his expression changing to a serious one.

“Are you sure?” He asked, searching Tony’s face for any signs of reluctance. Tony smiled.

“As long as you’re there with me, I’m sure of everything”


End file.
